Hokies Recruiting: Virginia Tech’s Pursuit of 4-Star CB Wayne Davis

The Virginia Tech Hokies have gotten off to a solid start to recruiting the Class of 2016. This past weekend, the Hokies hosted their first Junior Day which went extremely well with recruits enjoying Virginia Tech, but one player who wasn’t there has emerged as a top target for the Hokies.

That player is four-star cornerback Wayne Davis of Lake Taylor High School in Norfolk, Virginia. Davis has gotten plenty of top offers from programs like Ohio State and Clemson, but finally received an offer from the Hokies during the Hokies’ Junior Day on February 7th.

Davis is one of the 300 players in the nation with the 247 Sports Composite ranking him as the 294th best junior while Rivals has him as the 247th best junior. Davis is also ranked as the 29th best cornerback by the 247 Sports Composite with Rivals having him as the 20th best cornerback.

Within Virginia, Davis is definitely one of the top players not only in the 757, but also in the state as Rivals has him as Virginia’s 7th best junior while the 247 Sports Composite has him as the 9th best junior in the Commonwealth.

Already, the Hokies are using new WR coach Zohn Burden in the 757 for recruiting with Davis being the first recruit that Burden is listed as a recruiter for by 247 Sports. Davis is one of the top 5 recruits in the 757, and getting Davis would be a start to doing better in that area.

One thing that’s clear when you watch Wayne Davis on tape is the fact that he has great instincts which will help him get playing time whether that is at cornerback or possibly at safety. Davis has fairly sound technique while doing a good job of keeping his eyes on the quarterback while staying in a position to prevent the receiver from beating him over the top.

Davis is not a great athlete and his speed is currently below-average for a cornerback, but both of those things can definitely be improved with time. Davis is going to be a very good collegiate player, and it is quite good that the Hokies finally made an offer.

Now, it seems like the Hokies have emerged as the frontrunner for Davis with the four-star cornerback set to make his first visit to Blacksburg soon. The Hokies’ history of developing great defensive backs will definitely help along with the fact that guys like Kendall Fuller and Brandon Facyson were both able to make an impact as true freshmen.

Davis could also have a better track at getting early playing time with Donovan Riley graduating after next season and Fuller likely headed to the NFL to be a top 15 pick. With Zohn Burden likely to lead the charge, the Hokies are clearly the favorites for Davis.

However, Ohio State and Tennessee both have their ace recruiters leading their pursuit of David. The Buckeyes have their tremendous success under Urban Meyer while Tennessee has the well-built program that is ready to break through this season for Butch Jones. However, Virginia Tech’s DBU prestige along with the home turf advantage makes the Hokies the favorites ahead of Ohio State, Tennessee, and Clemson right now.

The Hokies have gone from the outside looking in to the favorite for Wayne Davis, but Virginia Tech can’t let up at all if they want to get him.